Enhancing FAO as a Knowledge Organization –

Example of Knowledge Share Fairs

• FAO is a specialized agency of the United Nations with its own independent governance

• 190+ Member Countries

• HQs in Rome, Offices in over 80 countries with 3600 staff.

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Collects, analyses, interprets and disseminates information on nutrition, food and agriculture

• Policy Advice

• Furnishes Technical Assistance

• A Neutral Forum for International Cooperation

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

• Normative vs Operational

• More of one means less of the other

• What is the optimum balance?

• “FAO as a Knowledge Org” strived to blend the two (2005)

• Now there are two Silos: DDG(Knowledge), DDG(Ops)

Our new mandate....

Ensure that the world’s knowledge of food and agriculture is available to those who need it when they need it and in a form which they can access and use.

The Problem:

• FAO must become a more flexible Organization

• FAO needs to break out of its risk-averse culture, creating greater efficiency and effectiveness.

• FAO has talented staff, stifled by the fragmented structures of FAO and rigidly centralized management systems.

FAO’s Independent External Evaluation

Recommendations:

• Play a policy role in seeking to balance interests between knowledge generation and availability, especially for the least developed countries

• Facilitate knowledge sharing

• Develop a strategic vision focused on development in specific areas of knowledge access

FAO’s Independent External Evaluation

New steps to enhancing knowledge capture and sharing within the organization and between FAO and its partners

• Thematic Knowledge Networks

• Best Practices

• AskFAO

• ShareFair

• Knowledge Strategy

• Collaborative Learning

• Knowledge Sharing ToolKit

First Knowledge “Share Fair” 20 – 22 January 2009

Organized by CGIAR, FAO, IFAD and WFP

• demonstrate how knowledge sharing improves effectiveness, efficiency and impact.

• provide an opportunity to learn from each other

• attended by over 1000+ staff from the Rome-based agencies

• 120 sessions with only 3 PPTs!

Process

• A call for proposals was sent out to all staff of all Rome-based agencies

• Received submissions (160) were reviewed/evaluated and the selected ones were grouped into 8 Knowledge Themes:• K for me• K stores• K for outreach• K for influence and advocacy• K for projects• K for rural communication• K for networks and communities• K for institutions and partnerships

Showcase competition of good knowledge sharing practices

Face-2-face learning events using techniques such as Peer Assists, Most Significant Change, AAR, etc.

Fun ways to share knowledge such as Chat/Talk Shows, World Café, Fish Bowl, etc.

Fun staged interactions that engage participants (KM "diagnosis", KM theater).

Knowledge “Share Fair” 20 – 22 January 2009

Hands on technology workshops introducing tools such as Blogs, Skype, Online Collaboration Platforms, Wikis, etc.

Fun technology seminars such as publishing a video on YouTube, creating a podcast, Tagging, Photo Sharing, etc.

Knowledge “Share Fair” 20 – 22 January 2009

Specific session on developing a knowledge strategy.

Desire to have internal network of Who’s Who to work with (K-Café)

• The first Knowledge Share Fair was a “proof-of-concept” and led to further thematic and regional events.

• Outcomes:• Internal Knowledge Sharing

Portal• Virtual and Face-to-Face

Trainings on KS tools/methods• Knowledge Sharing toolkit • Thematic, Regional and

affiliated events

Outcomes

FAO Knowledge Café

Internal Knowledge Sharing Portal

• Who’s Who (Personal Information, Skills, Memberships in external collaborative tools)

• Ask and Answer

• Sharing in Action

• Knowledge Sharing Tools and Methods

• Upcoming Events

• Trainings on Knowledge Sharing Tools and Methods

• participants work together in online/face-to-face collaborative workspaces and “learn while doing”.

• allows participants the opportunity to learn together from geographically dispersed locations.

• Some courses have a follow-up face-2-face event

• Follow-up advise provided to Staff

Virtual and Face-to-Face Trainings

FAO and the CGIAR are creating and growing an online resource of knowledge sharing tools and methods.

Uses a wiki - continually updated.

Anyone can request to join and contribute to the resources.

Tools and methods are framed in the context of international development.

Knowledge Sharing Toolkit - www.kstoolkit.org

Follow-up Events

Regional Share Fairs

• Share Fair AgKnowledge Africa at ILRI, Addis Abeba, Ethiopia 18-21 October 2010

• Foire aux Savoirs, Afrique de l'Ouest, EMIG, Niamey, Niger 15 - 17 juin 2010

• Share Fair Latin America and Caribbean at CIAT, Cali Colombia 25-27 May 2010

Follow-up Events

Affiliated and Thematic Events

• UNDG Inter-Agency Knowledge Fair, Vienna, Austria 28 - 30 September 2010

• 1st IAAH Consultation, Rome, Italy 22 - 24 June 2010

• FAO Climate Change Days Rome 21-23 June 2010

• ABDC-10, Guadalajara, Mexico 1 - 4 March 2010

Generic Outcomes

1. Share and learn from each other’s good practices

2. Experiment with tools and methodologies for knowledge sharing.

3. Create linkages and networks for future collaboration between the participating organizations.

4. Develop ideas to support and enhance knowledge sharing within and across the participating organizations.

Establish a collective vision of knowledge management and what it means for FAO.

Devise effective methods for capturing, structuring, sharing tacit knowledge.

Embed knowledge management in FAO’s budgeting, programming and human resources processes

Create a culture and infrastructure which improves staff skills, guarantees rewards and creates motivation.

We are not yet finished, many challenges lay ahead...

www.kstoolkit.org

www.fao.org/knowledgeforum

www.sharefair.net

www.imarkgroup.org